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Steel Mountains
This mountain range is on the nortwestern coast of the continent Dophia. This area is rich in iron and other ore deposits, which is where the name originates. At the height of the Elven and Dwarven age, the dwarves accidentally figured out how to forge steel, a cheaper metal then mithril, one that took less time to craft and brought faster income. The dwarves have laid claim to these mountains for as far back as Elven and Dwarven histories go, some believe this is the birthplace of dwarves, but as far as anyone knows, it is purely myth. General History The history of the mountains goes longer without important events then anywhere in Dohpia. It is perhaps because of the strong Dwarven claim to the mountains all these years. They know the mountains better then anyone else and have littered the mountains with traps, hidden doors, and lookout towers, making any invading army at a great loss. Still, things do and did happen. It started with the moment of awakening, what the elves call the oldest written history. The dwarves were already in the mountains when a traveling band of elves first discovered them and an alliance was forged, the elves could make things the dwarves couldn't and vice verse. They remained allies for many years in peace. But peace does not last forever. Dwarves, a honorable but greedy lot, dug deep into the mountains until they dug too deep, awakening a darkness older then the elves. The result was devastating, wiping out almost all of the Fror clan and their allies. The dwarves beseeched the elves for help, but the elves only saw their death, and turned their backs, it would be many centuries before the alliance was forged again. It was in the time of humans that the alliance was renewed. An elf family of noble blood traveled across the plains for a meeting with an human lord, but they did not make it. They were attacked by orcs and all but a girl child was slain, she ran off in fear. It was a traveling dwarf group who found her. Dwarves value children highly, and female children are even more highly valued in their society, so they protected her, despite her heritage. In the months that she was kept by the dwarves, she grew very close to them and never forgot them. When she grew up she returned to the dwarves, who needed reminding of who she was, and she spent the rest of her life renewing the alliance of the elves and dwarves, and she succeeded. Even so, the alliance between elves and dwarves remained tense, though both sides benefited from it. During the dark reign of Cearis, the alliance between the two was the only thing that kept his corrupting influence away from the dwarves. The dwarves, protected by Elven magic, burned the forges hot and provided weaponry to the humans and dwarves, though it ruined them. The forges burn low and the coffers are nearly empty, the cost of the war was great to even the dwarves, but they still exist in the ancient halls, though they now begin to crumble. General Climate The climate of the Steel mountains is cold and rainy. There isn't much snow, but frost is common when the sun is no longer present. Avalanches do happen from the rain constantly eroding the mountains. The rock falls here are highly dangerous as the rock tends to splinter into sharp spikes. Most dwarves do not leave without their armor and all have helmets. Cities The Dwarven city in the Steel mountains is the Great Hall. It is a vast complex built during the height of the Dwarven era. Much of is it is abandoned and quiet now, the result of their effort to the war. The last descendant of the Fror line sits in this hall, Freran Zirak. He is a kindly old dwarf and one who still hopes to relight the fire in the dwarves, a hope to rebuild and repopulate. If the dwarves survive, it will be because of him. Moor This is a human city on the edge of the boundry of Steel Mountains. It was founded long ago during the human expansion. At the time, dwarves and elves were on the outs, so this was an opportunity to get the fires burning once again in their forges. The human city still benefits, even though the elves and dwarves have renewed their alliance, and it is from here all Dwarven made goods are sent across the world for trade. Because of this, the people of Moor are very wealthy and crime and thievery is abound. In order for the dwarves to continue trade, the merchants must be honest and fair, so for all the corruption that is in the city, when dealing with dwarves all are respectful and honorable. If one should offend a dwarf and thus the alliance be severed, the city would be greatly hurt since it has built itself upon the trading of Dwarven goods. A merchant counsel runs this city and it is sometimes cruel and corrupt, but there is a balance.